


Cariad

by bravenclawesome



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Accidental Magic Reveal, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Based on a Tumblr Post, Cariad, Ealdor, Episode: s01e10 The Moment of Truth, First Kiss, Inspired By Tumblr, Love Confessions, M/M, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Protective Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-09 23:06:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4367768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bravenclawesome/pseuds/bravenclawesome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After hearing Hunith call Merlin <i>cariad</i>, Arthur, thinking the term is an affectionate childhood nickname, calls Merlin by the same thing on their way back to Camelot. Humour, awkwardness, and love ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cariad

**Author's Note:**

> I saw [this post](http://mykingdomscome.tumblr.com/post/124338419492/hello-its-the-happy-merthur-headcanon-anon) by mykingdomscome on Tumblr last night, and itched to write it because the idea was so cute I couldn't bear letting the opportunity slip by. After seeing two fanarts based off the idea ([here](http://prince-pratdragon.tumblr.com/post/124358988981/because-of-this-sorry-for-the-messiness-just) and [here](http://peasgopopping.tumblr.com/post/124360352006/cariad-17072015-inspired-by-this-post)) I thought right, that's it, I've got to sit down and write this. It only took me an hour, but I missed breakfast. I still think it was worth it, though.  
> Originally posted on Tumblr [here](http://merlins-earmuffs.tumblr.com/post/124402078522/cariad).

“I’ve seen how much he needs you. How much you need him. You’re like two sides of the same coin.”

Merlin couldn’t help smiling at his mother’s words. He glanced over at Arthur, who was speaking to Morgana and Gwen, his face turned away. In that moment, he realised how true Hunith's words were. Within less than a year, he had already become so accustomed to being at Arthur’s side that it was impossible to imagine continuing his life without him. And no matter how much he loved his mother, he knew he could never leave his prince.

“I’ve heard someone say that about us before,” he said. He ached to tell Hunith about the dragon Kilgharrah, the things he had done to protect Arthur and fulfill his destiny, but he was going to leave any moment now, and he knew if he started, he would never finish his story.

“I’m going to miss you,” he said instead, and put his arms around her, closing his eyes as he inhaled the smell of home clinging to Hunith’s clothes. Not knowing when he would see her again, he did his best to absorb every detail of the hug, and tried to keep it in his memory forever.

Hunith laughed, but Merlin could tell that she, like him, was trying to choke back tears. “I’m going to miss you too.” They broke apart, but she put a hand on his chest as she looked up at him. Merlin was momentarily struck by how much taller he had grown in comparison to her, and his heart ached once more. “When you left, you were just a boy. Now look at you. I’m so proud of you _._ ”

She pressed a kiss to his forehead, and Merlin tried not to cry, because that would only make their farewell more difficult. He wanted his last look at Ealdor to be of his mother with a fond smile on her face, rather than one streaked with tears.

“Merlin, we have to go.”

Merlin looked up and was surprised to see Arthur standing close by, waiting for him. Morgana, Gwen, and the villagers who had been surrounding Will’s pyre had already left, presumably to give those who were close to Will some privacy, and he hadn’t been aware that another person had stayed with him and his mother.

“All right,” he said, and looked at his mother again, trying to memorise every detail of her face. His eyes began to well up with tears, but he dashed them away. “The smoke’s getting in my eyes,” he said.

Hunith smiled, as if she knew what he was thinking, and kissed him again, this time on the cheek. “Goodbye, _cariad,_ ” she said.

Merlin felt the edge of his lip quirk upwards. He couldn’t remember the last time his mother had used that word. “Goodbye, mother.”

He looked towards Arthur, who nodded at him before he turned and followed the other villagers. Merlin caught up with him, and they shared a silent look as they made their way to their horses, where Morgana and Gwen were already waiting.

* * *

It was a long journey from Ealdor, though the four of them were fortunate to have set out relatively early in the afternoon, which meant they would be back in Camelot before it was light once more. By late evening the horses were slowing their pace, and Arthur knew they would tire out completely if they didn’t stop to rest soon. 

Conveniently enough, he spotted a river not so far off the path. He raised a hand, signalling to Morgana and Gwen’s horses behind him to halt. “We should probably stop to rest before we continue on our way back to Camelot,” he said. “The horses need rest, and I think we can all agree that all of us need a drink.”

He pulled on the reins, leading his horse off the path. Llamrei, upon spotting the river, nickered and picked up her pace, and Arthur was there in no time. He dismounted and tied Llamrei’s reins to a willow tree. The others copied him. “We stop for half an hour,” he said, and the others nodded.

He took his waterskin from the saddle and went to the river, dipping it in so it swelled and filled with water. He heard rustling in the grass behind him and turned to see Merlin approaching with his own waterskin. Arthur held out a hand. “Give me that,” he said. “I’ll help you fill it _._ ”

Merlin silently acquiesced, and passed the waterskin to him. Arthur filled it in the same way he had filled his own. “Thanks,” said Merlin, when Arthur returned it to him.

Arthur stood and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’re welcome, _cariad._ ” He smiled, remembering that Hunith had called Merlin by that name during their farewell. It was probably a childhood nickname of some sort.

Merlin, who had already begun taking a long drink from his waterskin, suddenly choked on his mouthful. “What did you call me?” he spluttered, as river water spilled over the front of his tunic.

Morgana and Gwen, who were further down the river, suddenly burst into giggles.

“I called you _cariad,_ ” said Arthur, confused by the reactions of the other three. “Isn’t that what your mother called you?”

“Yes,” said Merlin, “but it’s not my name, it’s – ”

“Oh, Arthur,” said Morgana, who was approaching them, openly grinning. “Have you never heard that term before? _Cariad_ is a term of endearment. It means ‘darling’ or ‘sweetheart’.”

Arthur’s eyes widened as he realised his mistake. “I-I’m sorry,” he said, feeling his cheeks heat. “I didn’t – I meant – ”

“It doesn’t matter, Arthur,” said Merlin, whose face had pinked as well. “I’ll just – ” Arthur was surprised to see Merlin looking slightly flustered as he pushed past him to refill his waterskin by the river, and refused to meet anyone’s eyes.

* * *

The rest of the ride home was slightly awkward after that. Arthur didn’t speak at all, only led the way ahead, and Merlin eventually fell back until he was in line with Morgana and Gwen. Once the castle was in sight, he didn’t even have to lead his horse anymore as it cantered its way to the stables with the others. 

Merlin dropped by his room to leave his things before running to Arthur’s chambers to attend him for the night. His footsteps were loud as they echoed down the corridor, and Merlin dreaded for a moment how Arthur would react when he saw him again. Merlin hoped he would make a joke of what had happened by the river, just so things could go back to normal again. But he had seen something in Arthur’s eyes after Morgana had explained what _cariad_ meant, that almost made him hope...

But that was a stupid notion. Merlin shook his head as he reached out for the door handle. His imagination was allowed to run free however it liked, but Arthur would never, ever call him _cariad_ and mean it.

He pushed the door open and entered, to find Arthur with his back turned to him, already in his nightclothes. “Um…Arthur?”

Arthur started as he turned. “Merlin?”

“I…” Merlin hesitated. “Do you not require my service tonight, my lord?”

Arthur frowned. “I thought I told you. I was going to ask another servant to prepare my bath. After what happened today, I thought you would have wanted a good night’s rest.”

Merlin was so touched he couldn’t suppress his smile. “Thanks,” he said. “Do you need anything else?”

“Now that you mention it…” Arthur looked around his room before his gaze fell upon the fireplace. “You could tend to that, the flames are almost out,” he said. “It’s cold tonight.”

“Of course, sire.” Merlin made his way to the fire and knelt before it, prodding at the dying embers with the fire-stoker hanging on the wall.

There was an awkward pause, which turned into an uncomfortable silence as it stretched, until it became almost unbearable –

“About what happened – ” Merlin began, just as Arthur said at the same time, “What I said by the river – ”

They both stopped mid-sentence. Merlin turned to look at Arthur, and their eyes met. Both of them gave nervous chuckles.

“Um,” said Merlin. “Just…you didn’t know what the word meant, yeah? We can pretend it didn’t happen. If you like. Sire.”

Damn it. Why was he so incoherent all of a sudden?

Arthur didn’t say anything, so Merlin turned back to the fire. The embers were still glowing, but the fire was nowhere near coming to life. Merlin would have used a spell, except the room was so quiet that it would be impossible for Arthur not to hear the incantation.

Just then, Arthur said, his voice so small that Merlin almost didn’t catch him, “What if…what would you have done, had I meant it?”

Merlin turned, about to answer his question, when the realisation of what Arthur said hit him. He froze, but was unable to tear his gaze away. Arthur’s eyes were wide and a little anxious, and it looked as if he had not meant for his words to come out.

Merlin put the fire-stoker back on the wall and stood. He saw Arthur’s breathing visibly quicken as he moved towards him, until they were standing but a foot apart.

Merlin’s next words came out in a whisper. “Did you mean it?”

There was a long silence, and when it started to stretch again, Merlin immediately began to regret his decision, silently cursing as he realised he had let his imagination wander just a little too much this time, because Arthur would never – Arthur was probably going to –

Merlin gasped when he felt Arthur’s lips closing over his own, and his eyes fluttered shut without meaning to. About two seconds passed until Merlin realised that _Arthur was kissing him,_ and before he knew what he was doing he was kissing back feverishly, grabbing Arthur’s face with one hand and sliding the other into his hair –

 _Whoosh._ Both men jumped apart at the sudden noise, and Merlin turned around to find that the fireplace had come to life, and was blazing merrily, as if it had been doing so for hours.

 _Shit_ , Merlin thought, _shit, he knows, there’s no way he couldn’t have figured it out by now –_

He had never felt more terrified in his life. Merlin’s magic often misbehaved when his emotions were running wild, but never like this. He began to panic. Will’s actions had been in vain, trying to pretend he was a sorcerer so Merlin could keep his secret for just a little while longer. His life was in Arthur’s hands now, and he could feel the heat of Arthur’s gaze on him, and Merlin imagined his expression turning to surprised, then angry, _murderous –_

“I knew it was you,” said Arthur quietly.

Merlin felt he was about to collapse, he was shaking so hard. “W-What?”

“Merlin,” Arthur said. _“I know.”_

There were too many thoughts in Merlin’s head right now, too many things that were jumbling around and making him feel even more confused. “But how?” he choked out.

“I knew it wasn’t Will who had cast the spell,” Arthur said. “But I pretended I thought it was you, because I thought you didn’t want the other people in Ealdor to know, and Will seemed keen to protect your secret. But I knew there was something – the way you looked when he said he was the one who had done it – I looked at you, and you looked so stricken, and I knew.”

Perhaps Merlin was in shock. There was no way this could be happening.

“Merlin, it’s all right, I’m not going to do anything to you,” said Arthur. “I understand. You didn’t want to tell me because I’m the prince, and if word ever got out you’d be locked up in the dungeons to be killed at first light. But I promise nothing will happen to you.” He put a hand on Merlin’s shoulder, and Merlin started. “I’ll always keep you safe.”

Merlin hadn’t been looking at Arthur all this time, but he was looking now, turning back again to meet his eyes, shocked to find that Arthur _meant it_. Arthur was offering to keep Merlin’s secret, offering to defy his father to help him, accepting him for what he was and who he was.

Barely moments before, Merlin had felt like his world was crashing down around him. Now, he could take solace in the fact that there was someone else who would be there if it ever happened again.

“Thank you,” he said, and without meaning to, he began to cry.

Arthur moved closer to hug Merlin as his eyes blurred with tears, and Merlin clung to him with an overwhelming sense of relief. Relief at the fact that he wouldn’t have to hide in fear, relief that one more person would be there for him, relief that he could finally trust and confide in the person who mattered most to him in his entire world.

“My _cariad,_ ” said Arthur, and Merlin inadvertently began to cry harder, muffling his noises as he buried his face in Arthur’s shoulder. “Thank _you._ ”


End file.
